Launching platform to be used in connection with toy trains



g- 1953 N. SAUNDERS LAUNCHING PLATFORM TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH TOY TRAINS Filed Nov. 7, 1950 INVENTOR Norman 5 mm 15. era,

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1953 LAUNCHING PLATFORM TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH TOY TRAINS Norman Saunders, Washington, D. 0.

Application November 7, 1950, Serial No. 194,537

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a launching platform to be used in connection with toy trains.

In my co-pending application, filed June 12, 1950, Serial No. 167,609 I disclosed an inclined launching platform, provided in one instance with a track having at the lower end cups to fit over the rails of a toy floor track for use when one type of toy train is employed, and in another instance a track arrangement to fit in between the rails of the floor track when using a differrent type of toy train.

In addition to these features, I provided means at the upper end of the inclined launching platform to serve as guides to direct the wheels of a toy train unit to the rails when placing a toy unit to roll down the platform to a floor track.

The present invention relates primarily to improvements in two essential features, namely, the guide for the wheels of the toy train unit at the upper end of the inclined platform, and means to slacken or stop the speed of a toy train unit when rolling down the platform.

Toy train units are small and light in structure, and to insure of the wheels of a truck of a unit fitting the track, I provide a central guide rail extended from the apex of the V-shaped rails at the upper end of the platform, so that when a truck is launched to roll down the track, the

wheels will be guided directly onto the rails of a 7 floor track. This greatly facilitates applying a toy train unit when launching a unit to roll correctly onto the floor track.

It has been found in practice when a toy train unit rolls down the platform, its speed is such that it would at times tend to jump off or ride over the floor rails.

To correct this over-riding or jumping off of the rails, and to slacken the speed of the unit, a stop is provided between the rails on the platform, the stop being controlled at the launching end of the platform.

With these essential improvements, the purpose of the invention is to provide a toy platform which under ordinary conditions will insure a toy train unit rolling down the inclined platform positively rolling onto the floor track.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the placing of a toy train unit on the platform.

Figure 4 is a perspective view.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the stop.

The numeral I indicates a fiat inclined platform having side rails 2 and supported at one end by le s 3.

On the flat surface of the inclined platform I are spaced-apart rails 4 which extend beyond the lower end of the platform, as shown at 5. The extended ends 5 of the rails serve with the legs 3 to support the frame.

The upper ends of the rails converge toward each other, as shown at 6, and extending rearwardly from the apex' of the converging rails is a straight piece of track 1. This piece of track 1 extends rearwardly beyond the apex to allow ample space for fitting the trucks of a toy train over the rail 1. Accordingly, a toy train unit can be readily placed on the end of the platform to guide the unit to a floor track, thus avoiding the necessity of carefully fitting the wheels on the rails as is the present custom.

At an appropriate point in the platform and between the rails 4 is a stop 8, normally projected above the rails, the stop being in the form of a piece of wire bent to provide a horizontal portion 9, mounted in a bearing Ill, under the platform. From the portion 9, the wire is bent to form a crank l l To this crank is pivoted a link l2, which extends up toward the launching end of the platform, and is pivoted to a finger operating device I3, a spring I 5 being employed to retain the stop in projected position to stop a toy train unit rolling down the platform.

It is to be borne in mind that the fundamental purpose of the improvement is to enable one to conveniently lit a toy train unit onto a track laid on the floor or other support and thus avoid kneeling or bending over and fitting all the wheels of the toy unit on such track. Thus, the platform is so constructed as to readily and quickly permit one to place a toy train unit on the launching end of the platform while seated or in a standing position and without tediously fitting the wheels to the rails.

In operation, the launching platform is placed over the floor track with the lower projecting ends 5 of the rails 4 inserted between the rails of the floor tracks, as shown in Figure 4. The ends 5 of the rails 4 fit between the inner surfaces of the floor rails in spaced relation, so that when the wheels of the toy train unit roll from the platform, the wheel flanges will ride in the spaces Hi, and. the fiat peripheral surfaces of the wheels will roll on the top surfaces of the rails of track A.

When the platform is positioned over the floor track, then a toy train unit is placed over the extension rail 1 without regard to carefully fit- 3 ting the flanged wheels on the rails. The unit is then released, and by gravity, it rolls down the platform until the wheels encounter the converging portions 6 of the tracks 4 which gradually straighten out the wheels and directs them to the main portion of the track.

As the distance between the rails 4 is less than the distance between the rails of the floor track A, the flanges of the wheels will engage the outside of rails 4 in parallel relation as they roll down the platform. The toy train unit increases its speed as it rolls down the track, and to avoid jumping oil the floor track when the wheels contact with said track, the stop 8 is interposed in the path of the on-coming unit. Thus, the unit is stopped. Then by operating the handle l3, the stop is withdrawn and the unit is free to roll on down and onto the floor track at such a speed as to insure proper contact to roll properly on the fio'or rails.

When the wheels of the toy train unit reach the junction of the platform tracks and floor track, the flanges of the wheels pass through the spaces [4 and effectively guide the wheels so that the peripheral flat portions of the wheels engage the upper surfaces of the rails of track A. If desired, the straight rail 1 can be extended to accommodate several units of a train.

From the foregoing description, it is obvious that one in playing with toy trains can with certainty place a toy train unit on the launching platform and it will, by gravity, automatically be guided onto the floor track, thus avoiding the usual back-breaking and tedious manipulation of the unit in fitting it to or on the track.

What I claim is:

A toy car truck rail aligner comprising an inclined ramp adapted to be mounted over the rails of a track, a pair of spaced parallel wheel engaging rails on said ramp and extending beyond the lower end of said ramp to terminate in juxtaposition to the track rails said parallel rails being of a length to simultaneously engage all of the wheels of a car, a pair of short rail sections on the upper end portion of said ramp and inclined from the upper ends of said parallel rails to a juncture at their upper ends, an opening in the lower portion of said ramp spaced below said short rail sections and between said parallel rails, and a car engaging retainer including a bell crank pivotally mounted on the underside of said ramp and having on one arm a hooked end extending up through said ramp opening within the path of a car to hold the car on the ramp, a spring between said bell crank and said ramp and biasing said hooked end into car engaging position, a guide means on the under side of said ramp between said retainer and the rear end of said ramp, and an elongated trigger slidable in said guide means and connected at one end to the other arm of said bell crank and extending to the rear end of said ramp.

NORMAN SAUNDERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,703,117 Marx Feb. 26, 1929 2,530,895 Melior Nov. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 52,671 Germany June 25, 1890 

